(In)action speaks louder than words

December 16, 2005

Spectrum/Andrew Halcro

All that political huffing and puffing (”Legislative records speak for themselves,” Spectrum, Sen. Lyda Green, Dec. 13 Frontiersman), yet not one answer could be found in any of the 600 words.

Why, after 10 years, hasn't the Legislature shown the leadership to protect Alaskans by cleaning up the ethical loopholes that exist in state government? And why, after 10 years, hasn't the Legislature shown the leadership to protect local economies by balancing the state budget?

But enough about them, let's talk about you.

In 1980 it was Ronald Reagan who framed the political landscape with one simple question: Are you better off today than you were four years ago? Twenty-five years later and thousands of miles away, the readers of this forum today are being asked a similar question, are you better off today than you were 10 years ago?

In 1994 the Mat-Su followed an Alaska trend and elected a slate of conservative candidates who promised voters two things: to cut government spending and to protect your permanent fund dividend check.

Ten years later, the same conservative legislators, including Sen. Lyda Green, just successfully spent every dollar and more of a billion-dollar surplus, and your yearly dividend check is at its lowest amount since 1992. And, oh yeah, remember that iron-clad promise about not spending permanent fund earnings? Green not only voted to spend earnings this year but also co-sponsored the bill.

What went wrong? A lack of vision, planning and leadership.

In 1999, with oil at $9 per barrel, the state House of Representatives passed a long-range fiscal plane that included using interest earnings of the permanent fund. Legislators who supported the plan warned Alaskans that the plan was critical to balancing the budget and stabilizing the dividend. If the plan failed, Alaska would continue to suffer from boom and bust economic cycles, and the dividend would fall if the stock market fell.

Sen. Green strongly opposed the plan saying it was a raid on the permanent fund and state government would grow out of control. The plan failed, the stock market crashed and the budget remained unbalanced. Today, instead of having a dividend of around $1,700 dollars, they are $850 dollars.

For a family of four, that means the lack of leadership and vision has cost you $3,400 this year alone by way of a smaller dividend. And while your dividend is at a 13-year low, state spending is at an all-time high, with none other than Sen. Green, as chair of the Senate Finance Committee, holding the checkbook.

In addition, at a time when growth is overtaking the Mat-Su Borough's ability to adequately fund services, the Legislature is still basing it's ability to invest in essential services like public safety on the price of a barrel of oil.

Last week, a collection of law enforcement officials, and even the president of the Mat-Su Home Builders, pleaded with state legislators to appropriate more resources to cover the escalating cost of fighting the growing meth epidemic in the Valley. &#8220To sustain even what we have is going to be the biggest challenge,” said Wasilla Police Chief Don Savage.

Ironically, a bill that would have helped fight the meth epidemic died in Sen. Green's committee, even though her own district has been called the meth capital of Alaska.

Why? It's not hard to understand once you look in the rear-view mirror.

Last May, as the Finance Committee Chair in charge of the capital budget, Sen. Green was asked the dollar amount of the budget she just voted to pass. &#8220I don't know,” was her reply. A few weeks later, when asked about how Alaskans would feel about her costing taxpayers an extra two weeks for a contentious special session, she replied, &#8220In two months, I will have to think hard to remember what happened in this building. I think the rest of Alaska will forget, too.”

This must be the &#8220world of difference” she recently wrote so proudly about.

Thankfully, Alaskans will soon have an ample opportunity to compare everybody's record. And unlike Sen. Green, I have faith Alaskans won't have to try hard at all to remember everything that's gone on in the capital.

Anchorage businessman Andrew Halcro is a former two-term Republican legislator. To find out more, or to contact him, visit www.andrewhalcro.com.